Thursday, September 16, 2010

He bought this rifle when he turned 8 for five dollars... brand new! He was also driving a model T Truck in Cattle Drives when he was 10, so it was a different time back then.

It's probably shot hundreds of thousands of rounds. He used it to hunt for squirrel and rabbits as he grew up poor in the Ozarks of Missouri.

He gave this to me when I was around 16. It's always been very special to me.

It's a Springfield Model 53-B

It's all metal and wood. Just like an old hunting rifle should be.

Single shot Bolt Action. Shoots all .22's. Short and Long.

He carved his initials in it so everyone knew it was his. I love this feature.

Shoots a little to the right....

Inside the bolt... It's very clean. It's just been extremely well loved.

And the one screw that holds it all together... Having a piece of anything from a grandparent is very special and a wonderful thing to own. I'll someday give this to my son and he'll give it to his. An old .22 is a great little rifle to have just to plink around with and if you're okay with guns, it's a for sure a vintage gear for guy thing!

I bought a 53B for $125 at a Tulsa gun show a year ago so I could teach my 8 & 10 year old daughters to shoot. It is perfect for them and I love the history of using a classic youth .22 single shot. This 53B is exactly what I needed for my girls.

I bought a 53B for $125 at a Tulsa gun show a year ago so I could teach my 8 & 10 year old daughters to shoot. It is perfect for them and I love the history of using a classic youth .22 single shot. This 53B is exactly what I needed for my girls.

I have a 53-B folk art gun. It has six pieces of inlay steel in the stock. Four of the pieces are arrow tip shaped in the main stock, and two are round in the fore stock. It looks very Native American or early trapper. It is a cool piece of firearm folk art.

I also have a Springfield .22, model 53-B just like your pictures. Previous owner was my 70yr.old friend's father who was a Army General resting in Arlington. No serial number. Great shape except for some outside corrosion bubbling that does not seem to have compromised the pristine interior of the barrel. Trying to find out current value.

The tang or square piece I need to replace is the one that rides the groove on the bottom of the slide. It goes from the knurled end to the weird shape cutout on the slide. Any help would be appreciated.

Your 53-B is surely a nice specimen. I also have this same model .22 rifle. It was my dad's rifle when he was about 10 years old, which was about 1932. He grew up on a farm during the depression, and when using a single shot rifle, you made sure that every shot counted. I haven't fired this rifle since I was a kid about 50 years ago. Because when I fired it, I felt powder burns on my face. It's old and worn-out, so it 's a non-shooting relic in my safe.

About Me

Every Day I'll try to highlight something I own that a Vintage Gear Guy would want or need. The name Pooh Bang comes from a childhood name for something we all do... And I figure I'll just fart about all the stuff I have....
So sit back and enjoy, but leave a window open.